The Beautiful Ugly of Twin Spirit

[audio:http://www.indiespiritmagazine.com/audio/1. The Mind Of Me-TwinSpirit-MY BEAUTIFUL UGLY.mp3]The Mind Of Me by Twin Spirit

We originally wanted to speak to this lady, Twin Spirit, about TheSofaSeries.com, which is a vehicle she created to help artists to be able to perform at different venues throughout the U.S. However, as the conversation progressed and layers were unpeeled, we discovered there was much more to her than just this one thing and we wanted to talk about all of it.

You successfully created your own source of income at home, which is something that a lot of women would like to do. Tell us about your venture.

I have a couple of ventures that were launched right from my living room. The 1st being YuckWork Virtual Assistance Service – YuckWork provides Administrative, Consulting, and Marketing support to businesses or individuals. We specialize in servicing Arts and Entertainment Professionals (www.YuckWork.com ). The 2nd venture launched this year was ChoozLove Designs. They were both born of my desire to have the freedom and time to pursue my passions (Music/Creating) and yet still be able to produce the necessary financial resources to support myself and my family.

With this on-line work you able to support yourself?

Yes, this work affords me two things that are very important to me. The Freedom to manage my own Time and the ability to generate income.

You launched your handcrafted jewelry store on-line this year. Congratulations for that. Your jewelry is made from recycled materials. What gave you the idea to use recycled materials to begin with? Give us an idea of how you decide that something you find can become part of earring or necklace. Where do your designs come from?

Thank you so much. Yes, I launched ChoozLove Designs By: TwinSpirit on my Birthday this year. I have been making jewelry for over 15 years but only for myself, family, and close friends. I decided to make my creations available to the public after being asked many times over the years “where did you get that jewelry you are wearing?”.

My pieces are made from Recycled, Repurposed, & Reused materials. I have always been one who repurposes things and I have always loved second hand shopping. Over the years I have happened upon so many beautiful things while I traveled and explored thrift stores & vintage shops. So many hidden treasures. I would find beautiful buttons on a vintage blouse or some gorgeous wooden rings at a yard sale. I might spy an old belt that has beautiful & unique metal links. All of the things would inspire me.

Merging aesthetics and a desire to make a difference environmentally, resulted in the creation of an empowering and inspiring collection that I decided to name ChoozLove. When viewed through the eyes of love you can see the beauty and purpose in all things. My desire, to make the old newly useful and beautiful again.

The Sofa Series. You created a way for artists to perform at various places throughout the U.S. First of all, why did you decide to do this and how does it work?

I decided to create The SOFA Series (Souls OFArtist) because as a Music Artist myself I knew that there needed to be more outlets for Artist to share what they do the way that “they” desired to express it & share. Oftentimes, in order to get booked artist have to compromise on the message they wish to share or they are forced to replicate what is considered popular or mainstream in order to compete. Secondly, after all of that compromise it is still a challenge for an artist to even get paid for what they contribute. I simply wanted to create a space that matched artist with lovers of good music, a space that encouraged authentic creative self expression, a place were an artist can BE themselves and most importantly a space where an artist can get paid.

Artist that are interested in performing submit their EPK’s to us. We review the submissions and then book those acts that we feel embody the spirit of The SOFA Series. All of our events are mobile which means the events move from location to location. Our special angels or Host as you will hear them referred to make this possible. A host volunteers their space, be it their living room, basement, poolside, barn, or venue to be utilized for a session of The SOFA Series. We book the artist, secure the venue, and then advertise the event to our mailing list of SOFA Series Supporters.

What makes The SOFA Series unlike any other is the energy & the feel. The series was designed to be a celebration of great music as well as an interactive and personal experience for our musical guests & the audience, All taking place in a warm and intimate setting as comfortable as the living room of an old friend. A combination of Good Music, Good People, and Great Food always equals a Beautiful Experience.

Twin Spirit has completed a CD entitled “My Beautiful Ugly.” Break it down for us. What does that phrase mean and how can others relate to it?

The theme of the album underlies the self discovery that I have undergone over recent years. ‘My Beautiful Ugly’ started years before I joined any bands or began my career as a songwriter. It arose from my journey through life. The journey we all take that brings us pain, joy, adventure, love… These experiences and emotions needed a form of expression. I found my vessel through music, lyric, and poetry. For a long time these reflections had been hidden in tattered notebooks or jotted on any piece of paper I could find at the moment of inspiration. The decision to record & release “My Beautiful Ugly” came about when my spirit said its time to share these thoughts with the world.

My Beautiful Ugly simply means: Finding Beauty, even in your perceived flaws & life challenges, because every tear, every smile, every joy, every pain has all contributed to You being You. And YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

You’ve performed internationally and in the U.S. What’s next for you musically?I have performed all over the world and it has been a wonderfully beautiful experience. My hope is to continue to see the world, cross paths with other fascinating souls, inspire & be inspired and having my music be the conduit by which I am able to continue to do these things.I am planning on releasing a new project in 2013 and launching the SELF LOVE Tour which will feature many of the talented and soul stirring artist & poets I have had the pleasure of crossing paths with on my journey. I just want to spread as much LOVE as I can while I am here enjoying this Human Experience. I want to empower, uplift, and motivate others to live the life they dream. To manifest into reality all their hearts & souls desire. To see the Divine Beauty in themselves that I see.

Why did you decide to write and create a CD? It’s like asking a bird why they sing, but help people understand why music is a part of your expression and what level of importance it has in your life.

I have been working as a professional musician for over 12 years and My Beautiful Ugly is in fact my 4th CD project released to date.Music for me is therapeutic and healing. It is the platform by which I purge, assess, reconnect, share, analyze, & flow. It crosses all boundary lines and is universal. Music speaks to us all and reaches our deepest inner most levels. It’s honest & intimate. It penetrates & saturates us even at a cellular level. Music is Spirit speaking to Spirit. Sharing musically just comes natural to me.

My desire was, is, and always has been to inspire others to self discover and reconnect with who they are at the core. To peel back the layers. Revealing, embracing, & loving yourself, period. Finally allowing you to see and reconnect with the U of YOU. No makeup, no mask, no expectations, no fashion statements, no agendas, no pretending, no dogmas, just the pure raw You…the Soul. In all its natural organic beauty.

Though a lot people don’t realize or think about it, our names are significant. You named yourself Twin Spirit. Tell us why.

TwinSpirit does hold meaning to me. It represents my personal journey of exploration into both aspects of myself. My dark and my light. My positive and my negative. For me it acknowledges acceptance and understanding of the whole me..accepting and loving myself fully and completely.

You seek out motivational women’s events to attend for yourself and often serve as a speaker at others. Why?

My goal is to “be inspired” & to “inspire” others to Self-Discover by sharing openly and honestly my experiences and the truths I have gathered along this journey. I enjoy connecting with others who long to or who have decided to be courageous enough to say “YES” to their Dreams, Desires, Intuitions, Feelings, Hopes, Creative Energy, and Passions…in essence their SPIRITS. Those who have decided to say “YES” to living the reality they were born to live, who have decided to take the road less traveled, and to live a life of Purpose on Purpose.

Why is it important to you to help and motivate others and where/when or how did this gift and calling awaken inside you?

Helping others is in essence helping yourself. Helping others is connected with higher levels of mental health, which means what many people have intuitively known all along: by helping others, you help yourself. Besides it feels so Good :-)

Honestly, I do not remember a moment when I have not been this way. I have always had a longing and desire to connect with, nurture, and support others. It is just who I am. When I came into being this was with me and I know that it has always been with me.

I hear there is a book on the horizon to help women. Tell us about it.

I have been asked on several occasions over the years if I plan on writing a book. I have finally decided to answer the call. The idea is still in bubble mode at the moment, meaning it is still brewing inside. I am not 100% sure how I plan on approaching it at this point but I trust that when it is time it will flow from me freely and be exactly what it is meant to BE. But in the meantime anyone who is interested in reading my random thoughts and musings may do so via my blog “My Beautiful Ugly World” ( www.mybeautifuluglyworld.wordpress.com )